While the ADMU Blue Eagles captured back-to-back UAAP Swimming Championships, the DLSU Archers won the Team relay events. The 2nd overall finish with a score of 286 to Ateneo’s 563, is a stark improvement since last year’s 4th place in the Senior Men’s Division.

ADMU fans came all the way from Katipunan and outnumbered La Sallians in their own backyard at the Rizal Memorial Swimming Complex. Photo was taken October 24, 2015 during 78th UAAP Swimming competitions. Photo by Jude Bautista

The improved finish may garner more support from DLSU fans next year. The competition venue of the Rizal Memorial Swimming Pool is so near they can view the Bro. Connon Hall and St La Salle Halls right from the stands. In spite of this, the U.P. Maroons based in Diliman and the Ateneo De Manila University in Katipunan had way more supporters cheering their swimmers.

The DLSU Lady Tankers replicated their 3rd place finish last year. They relied on Sabrina Ingrid Ilustre’s heroics for a significant amount of points. She earned the gold in the 200m-breast stroke and silver medals in 200m Butterfly and the 100m Breaststroke. Catherine Bondad contributed with a silver and two bronze medals from Butterfly events. Glycel Marie So, Maria Panginiban, Mariel Carandang also helped with their podium finishes.

Alfonso Bautista, Leon Red Silvestre, Troy Espiritu and Juan Miguel Narciso won the gold medal in the Men’s 200m Freestyle Relay event. They smashed the previous record 1:41:10 also set by the DLSU Tankers the pervious year by 2 seconds: 1:39:21.

Red Silvestre had a very exciting 2nd place finish versus Blue Eagle Jessie Lacuna in the 50m Butterfly. The Olympian was only ahead of the Green tanker less than half a second: 25.31 to 25.89. Lacuna however broke the UAAP event record he himself set the year before at 25.47. That performance showed the level Silvestre can perform among the best in the country.

right: Rookie of the year Neil Puyo (DLSU). Photo was taken October 24, 2015 during 78th UAAP Swimming competitions at the Rizal Memorial Swimming Complex. Photo by Jude Bautista

Neil Puyo, earned the Rookie of the Year award and a host of medals. Among them gold medal in the 200m Backstroke, bronze in the 400m individual medley and a silver in 100m backstroke (won by Blue Eagle Axel Ngui).

The fantastic showing of several DLSU, LSGH & DLSZ swimmers in the 78th UAAP competition qualified them for the 7th ASEAN School Games, Nov 21-28, 2015 to be held in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam. The ASEAN School Games is an international competition between Southeast Asian nations specifically for the 18 and under age category. In spite of hosting the event last year in Marikina, the Philippines has yet to earn a medal in swimming since participating in 2010. Other sports included are Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Golf, Gymnastics, Sepak Takraw, Swimming, Table tennis, Tennis and Volleyball.

Alfonso Bautista outdid the 50m freestyle qualifying time of 24.72 seconds by clocking in 24.02. UAAP Rookie of the Year Arian Neil Puyo will be in the 100 & 200m backstroke. Leon Red Silvestre will be in the 50 & 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly.

Congratulations to Alfonso Jose Bautista for qualifying to represent the country in the 7th ASEAN School Games to be held in Brunei Darussalam from Nov 21-28,2015—Men’s 100m Freestyle Relay Gold medalist Alfonso Bautista also earned several medals in other events. Photo was taken October 24, 2015 during 78th UAAP Swimming competitions at the Rizal Memorial Swimming Complex. Photo by Jude Bautista

Hopes are high for Nicole Pamintuan, Yuri Ilustre and Maurice Sacho Ilustre who are also part of the contingent. If anyone of them wins a medal it would break the dry spell for the Philippines since we joined.

Congratulations to Erin Castrillo (white blouse) for her selection to the 7th ASEAN School games, Nov 21-28, 2015 to be held in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam. Photo was taken October 24, 2015 during 78th UAAP Swimming competitions at the Rizal Memorial Swimming Complex. Photo by Jude Bautista

Photo was taken October 24, 2015 during 78th UAAP Swimming competitions at the Rizal Memorial Swimming Complex. Photo by Jude Bautista

Strategy and approach

Archers Coach Evan Grabador’s strategy of strengthening the DLSU Tankers as a team has paid off in an interview with The Lasallian. Two of the gold medals were in relay events. Grabador is a product of the consistent swimming program in U.P. and has been part of many National team delegations to the SEA Games. He took over the tankers last year after his success as coach of LSGH (La Salle Greenhills), DLSU CSB (College of St. Benilde). They’re reaping the rewards just a season later after Grabador took over.

The Green Archers fans were outnumbered in their own backyard. Photo was taken October 24, 2015 during 78th UAAP Swimming competitions at the Rizal Memorial Swimming Complex. Photo by Jude Bautista

Grabador employs a lot of cross training and diet. Alfonso relates, “I’m a strong believer in science in sports. I believe that would help. For me what helped the most was strength and condition training. That helped me get more power in the water, get more explosive power. We emulate how the U.S. and Australia train by lifting weights. When you’re at this level you need to keep your body healthy and you do that by eating healthy.”

Bautista uses the success in this year’s UAAP as motivation for even higher goals. “My target is the 2017 SEA Games. A win in an international competition will motivate me even more to train for the 2017 SEA Games. We have the chance to improve times and improve character.”

The UAAP was a preview of the brilliance of the Philippine team and hopefully an even better showing at the SEA Games for 2017. Hannah Dato & Jessie Lacuna have had podium finishes at SEA Games last year. Alfonso is hopeful of the national team getting better, “Singapore is good in swimming. We’re improving, last year Jessie Lacuna was able to win 2 silver medals. That gold medal will come in time. Before Filipinos used to dominate Singapore just got faster. I believe that we’ll be able to catch up. Back in 2007 Filipinos dominated SEA Games. This year they showed signs of improvement from 2013. We were actually able to win a couple of medals. I see it improving in 2017.”

Congratulations to Alfonso Jose Bautista for qualifying to represent the country in the 7th ASEAN School Games to be held in Brunei Darussalam from Nov 21-28,2015—Men’s 100m Freestyle Relay Gold medalist Alfonso Bautista also earned several medals in other events. Photo was taken October 24, 2015 during 78th UAAP Swimming competitions at the Rizal Memorial Swimming Complex. Photo by Jude Bautista

DLSZ’s Nicole Meah Pamintuan was selected to the 7th ASEAN School Games. Photo was taken October 24, 2015 during 78th UAAP Swimming competitions at the Rizal Memorial Swimming Complex. Photo by Jude Bautista

UP Fighting Maroons outnumbered the Green Archers in their own backyard. Photo was taken October 24, 2015 during 78th UAAP Swimming competitions at the Rizal Memorial Swimming Complex. Photo by Jude Bautista

Photo was taken October 24, 2015 during 78th UAAP Swimming competitions at the Rizal Memorial Swimming Complex. Photo by Jude Bautista

DLSZ’s Nicole Meah Pamintuan was selected to the 7th ASEAN School Games. Photo was taken October 24, 2015 during 78th UAAP Swimming competitions at the Rizal Memorial Swimming Complex. Photo by Jude Bautista

Getting on the swimmer’s starting block; Photo was taken October 24, 2015 during 78th UAAP Swimming competitions at the Rizal Memorial Swimming Complex. Photo by Jude Bautista

Jude Thaddeus Bautista

I'm a professional writer and photographer for over a decade. The subjects that I cover vary from entertainment to film, music, travel, lifestyle and even sports. Stories and pictures can come from anywhere, this is my way of sharing them with you.

Yes we have to do something while there's still time renxkyoko. We must tell our kababayan, through our blogs, social media why its wrong to vote for him, using reason, logic, common sense. Thank you for your comment.

Thank you so much for commenting renxkyoko ! I'm shocked, afraid and horrifed too with the prospect of him being our president that's why i thought of writing this article. what's unbelievable to me is the fact that NO ONE's calling him out on his lies. SO many people are now afraid to speak out against him. THIS IS SO scary. do you have […]

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[…] for granted, not just by the youth but Filipinos in general. That’s why yearly events such as the PASINAYA where these activities come together are so important. Include Cinemalaya, Cinema One, Virgin […]

Our Lost Culture in 3 Stars And A Sun | Photos & Text by Jude Bautista

[…] for granted, not just by the youth but Filipinos in general. That’s why yearly events such as the PASINAYA where these activities come together are so important. Include Cinemalaya, Cinema One, Virgin […]

[…] for granted, not just by the youth but Filipinos in general. That’s why yearly events such as the PASINAYA where these activities come together are so important. Include Cinemalaya, Cinema One, Virgin […]

Our Lost Culture in 3 Stars And A Sun | Text and Photos by Jude Bautista